New Year's Day 2018

I looked through my posts over the past year and came up with this layout for my #BestNine2017. The one in the center with my mother is my favorite. The only resolution I made this year is to drink more water and it's one I think I can keep.

I ate blackeyed peas, greens and cornbread for good luck in 2018. Actually, I cheated a little since I didn't have any leafy greens like kale or collards that are traditional so I made Broccoli Cornbread and it was delicious. I used olive oil instead of melted butter and used only 1/2 cup. Next time I will use even less and it needed a little more salt. I cooked it in an iron skillet and since my gas oven is a little off temperature-wise, I set it at 400° and cooked it for 40 minutes and that was perfect. It was more like a quiche than cornbread but it was still good with the peas. I had a big bag of broccoli so I just took out what I thought was a good amount and chopped it when it was almost defrosted and it measured 2 cups. 

I got up pretty early even though I stayed up until midnight to ring in the New and started undecorating my house while the coffee brewed. By 8:30 it was all done. The boxes are back in the attic but not in my Christmas closet yet. I will do that tomorrow when I get back from the dentist for my first cleaning of the year. See you after that. xo

Splash splash. Bluebird taking a bath.

via Instagram http://ift.tt/292ryBw
Splash splash. Bluebird taking a bath.
#bluebird #birdbath #mycottage #bestbluefriends #ig #happysunday

Beautiful Indigo Blue Bird

via

Isn't this little bird spectacularly beautiful? I like the nest too. I hope this is the female sitting on some tiny eggs. 

Easter Bluebird at my Cottage

I took this from my bedroom window with my long lens and cropped it so you could see my lovely bluebird of happiness. They are flying around everywhere trying to pick their nesting sites. I hope this one decides to use the bluebird box. I cleaned it out so it's ready for this year's birds. Hope you had a nice Easter. I certainly did. xo

Bluebirds are Back at My Cottage Again

It rained all day yesterday and most of the night so all of my bird baths are full. Today the bluebirds can drink and pose for me. I love the mirror image and the blue sky reflecting in the water.
Click photos to enlarge.

My photos. Have a great weekend.

Bluebird Spotting Today at My Cottage

Any day that starts with a bluebird spotting is a good one in my book. This one was pretty far away and I'm thankful my Nikon with the big telephoto lens was near the window. 

Bluebird's Bird's-Eye View

I love this picture in a picture with the landscape reflected in the glass of an abandoned dwelling. via

First Bluebird Spotting at My Cottage

I was afraid I would scare my first spring bluebird away if I opened the door to go out on the balcony to photograph him. Instead I had to do it through the window and the screen from my bathroom. These birds never fail to thrill me!

Bluebird on Watering Can

I adore this photo. I always look for old watering cans and they are all but impossible to find these days. Don't forget to bring yours inside for the winter or they will fill up with water and freeze which almost always results in a leak. I learned this the hard way. You know I love bluebirds too. Have a great day. via

A Bluebird and A Double Rainbow

I've never been lucky enough to get a shot like this. You know I love bluebirds and have them here at the cottage. This has to be the ultimate happy photo of a bluebird and a double rainbow. I love it.

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Fall Hydrangeas and a Bluebird

I think hydrangeas have to be one of the best landscaping plants around. They just keep on giving from spring right through the fall. I wish I could say they were mine but they aren't. They belong to a friend. I photographed them this morning after feeding and walking her dogs.

I will claim total ownership of this bluebird that was one of many flying around the cottage earlier this morning. I hope it's one of the youngsters born here his spring. These birds never fail to thrill me. He was all puffed up with pride about his beauty. Isn't that color spectacular?



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Baby Bluebird Rescue Day 2

I think this is a different juvenile bluebird that flew the coop this morning.

He/she can't fly either.

Webster looks through the screen wondering, "When is this foolishness going to be over so I can go in the backyard again?"

"What should I do?" this young bluebird asks my mother. She's legally blind from macular degeneration and had to get very close to to see this little one. She'll be 90 in October and she's still going strong except for her eyesight. She doesn't dye her hair either...really! I think she's beautiful inside and out.

Where's the father bluebird when you need him? He should be here giving flight school lessons.

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Baby Bluebird Rescue At The Cottage

When I woke up this morning I looked outside my bedroom window and saw a blob that wasn't moving on the lawn near the Eastern Bluebird house. It looked like a baby bird and it was. The bluebird parents weren't at all upset and every once in a while they would fly down and shove something in its mouth. I was very concerned because it was almost time to let Webster out and this little bird clearly could not fly. I got my camera and a big stick. As I was shooting baby bluebird portraits the parents were dive bombing my head. Then I got my stick and tried to make this little one perch on it so I could put him back in the house. That did not work. So I picked him up and poked him back inside so he could tell his juvenile brothers and sisters about the outside world and the giant who helped him. I hope he stays inside until his little wings are stronger. All is well now. You know how much I love my bluebirds and I don't want to lose a single one. Here's hoping you have some excitement too this weekend. xo, Rosemary

My camera ~ Nikon D40 SLR

My lens ~ Nikon 18-200 zoom lens with VR
(Macro at any focal length)

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Bluebird On The Roof

Even though I have a birdhouse full of bluebirds right outside my window, I never fail to be thrilled when I see one. I can see this portion of my garage roof very clearly from my attic studio. This is fresh off the press. News Alert ~ Blubird sighting.




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Friday Bluebird Fix

There is a lot of activity in all the holes of this birdhouse with bluebirds building nests in each compartment. I never knew they liked communal living but I guess I was wrong. I snapped this photo from my attic studio. The second pic was cropped from the first to show you the bird up close. I never get over the thrill of seeing such beautiful plumage. They really are the birds of happiness. I hope you have a happy day too.

UPDATE: I just added the third photo. Look closely and you'll see the female taking nest-building material into the hole. The male just hangs around looking beautiful or perches on top of the house acting as the lookout.

I use Adobe Photoshop Elements for all my photo editing.




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Bluebird At The Cottage

Have I missed my window of opportunity to take this birdhouse down, clean it out and repaint? The bluebirds have already been going in and out of each compartment to stake out their nesting places. It really looks awful. I might be able to clean it in place with some warm water and a brush. I took this photo last weekend.

I took this photo in January. I wonder if it's the same bird that's perched on top of the birdhouse? It's sunny, cool, and very windy today so things should dry out from all the rain we've had. Happy Friday.




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